


Taking It On The Chin

by snatch



Series: Rolling With The Punches [2]
Category: Daredevil (TV), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Boys In Love, Fluff, Frank can't handle feelings, Hurt/Comfort, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Rooftops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-02
Updated: 2016-11-02
Packaged: 2018-08-28 15:35:45
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,643
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8451946
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/snatch/pseuds/snatch
Summary: Matt and Frank are fucking-finally coming to terms with their feelings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> So, here's the follow-up and I'm not sure how well this turned out, to be honest. I know quite a little bit about internalized homophobia though I'm not sure if I'm getting it across well or not. I tried, that's all I have to say in my defence. Feedback is always appreciated.  
> look and enjoy (:

After days of trying to persuade the nuns at the boys home Matt lived in and him working out a game plan consisting of arguments to do so, he was allowed to stay away for a night. Staying at Frank's place, that is.  
Ever since Frank gave those dark-red glasses to him, they started to hang out together more often.  
And also, Frank started to call Matt "Red" because of that.  
So, naturally, those glasses meant a lot to him even though he didn't quite know how they looked on him, but he has been told by Karen and Foggy that the red lenses suited him since Matt dressed in rather muted colours so he wouldn't mismatch anything.

Now, Frank invited him over to his place and Matt couldn't refuse that.  
He spent the previous night packing some things with his heart beating rapidly in his chest everytime he paid the upcoming day too much thought. He was excited, alright? Justifiably so. He never was that excited when he met up with Foggy, even though he's his best friend. Then again, he felt like the relationship he had with Frank was something else entirely.

Frank's mother Louisa cooked amazing dinner and let the two boys take off to Frank's room, where he explained that his father was a marine and currently overseas, and that he would most definitely follow in his footsteps after graduating.  
They ended up sitting on the foot of Frank's bed with the lights out, talking back and forth about everything and nothing.

"Do you even know what I look like?" Frank said quietly but still loud enough for only Matt to hear, breaking the comfortable silence that settled upon them not too long ago. He sat with his shoulder blades to the wall, his legs propped up on Matt's tighs and his arms loosely crossed in front of his chest. Matt, who was sitting cross-legged at the headboard of Frank's bed and comfortably nestled between his pillow and tangled sheets.  
There was a distinct smell of Cordite, slightly acrid and sour, covered by the scent of plain, upscale black coffee and Frank's soap. Matt found himself enjoying it more than he should, having Frank lying next to him, momentarily restful so, contrary to his usual pent-up with rage self.

"I have a vague idea but I don't really know." he replied. Of course, he wondered what Frank looked like but there simply was no real opportunity for him to actually find out. Karen used to describe Frank to him as a hunky dude with a grown out crew-cut who wears black on black for the majority of his being. He also had a nose that's been broken a few times which she also made fun of.

"Do you wanna know?" Frank asked with a hint of, Matt swears, self-consciousness.

"If you want me pawing at your face, sure."

Frank grunted and sat up, straightening his back and making the air sacs in his spine pop. Matt winced a bit at that sound and then Frank scooted over to Matt.  
Matt clasped his hands, trying to warm them up and prevent them from possibly wavering because of the sudden rush of blood through his veins.  
And then he reached out with his fingertips, meeting Frank's high cheekbones, tracing his strong eyebrows and noting his quite clear-cut features and prominent bone structure.

"Jesus, how many times have you gotten your nose broken?" Matt whispered with an obvious grin in his voice.

"Two or three times, please contain your laughter." Frank replied point-blank, trying to sound earnest without starting to laugh himself.

"Sorry, sorry." Matt said and he was giggling, he was fucking giggling and Frank thinks it's cute as fuck. He then continued to stroke his fingers along Frank's jaw and his rough skin and then lingered with his thumb on Frank's full lips for maybe far too long, because Frank was about to say something in that baritone of his. Matt kind of panicked, so he brushed through Frank's hair instead.

"Your hair is crazy thick, it feels like petting a dog." Matt diverted, brushing over the clean fade of Frank's crew-cut, starting from a tough close-skin shave to a softer part on top.

Frank snorted.  
"Geez, thanks, Red."

"Hey, that wasn't an insult you dumbass. I think you look good, though."  
Matt heard a reluctant smile spreading across Frank's face as he hummed at that.

"You know what would be funny?" and he had the same voice he always has when Karen or Foggy instantly shoot down his ideas because those are proven to be very illegal or dangerously fun most of the time.

"Should I be worried?"

"Let me talk, dear god. See, there's a fire escape next to my window that goes up to the rooftop."

"Uh, okay?"

"We should go up there, I say." Frank proclaimed and got up the bed, the sudden loss of warmth at Matt's side making him frown.

"You want a blind guy climbing up an unsecured latter on the outside of an apartment complex." Matt stated.

"I'm gonna look out for you, that you should know by now."

"Alright, then." Matt sighed. "If this doesn't turn out well, I'm going to chop your toes off with my cane. I can and I will."

Frank shoved open his window, inhaling the icy air and climbing outside, holding onto the cold metal bar next to his window and eventually swinging outside in an adept motion.  
He secured himself by jamming a rung into the crook of his arm and holding out a hand, helping the brunette outside thanks to his strong grip, before climbing up the ladder closely followed by Matt.

Frank was quick to heave himself over the edge of the roof, so he could have his eye on Matt who surprisingly enough didn't have any problem whatsoever clambering up. Didn't miss a rung, didn't trip, didn't need Frank to pull him over the edge.

"Fucking hell, you're quite a daredevil, anyone ever told you that?"

"I'm blind, Frank, I'm not stupid. I've been doing this for a while." Matt scoffed, faking accusation.

"Didn't mean it like that, I was jus' worried." Frank grumbled, scratching his head.  
"I know, I'm just joking." Matt replied, punching Frank against the shoulder, making the other boy snort again.

"I like you, Frank." Matt said suddenly, feeling his heart cutting out for a moment before picking up on speed again, fluttering inside his ribcage.

And Frank tensed up again, squaring his shoulders and turning on his heel, pacing aimlessly around.  
"I like you, too, Red. And that is a problem." he replied with a strained, gruff voice.

"What do you mean?" Matt frowned and tilted his head, following the sound of Frank's footsteps.

"I don't know, man. It's screwing with me like crazy, I don't know how to- like, I don't think I like guys, but I like you. Does that make any sense? I don't fucking know what's wrong with me, Red, I don't get it. Fuck, I need to shut up." Frank rambled, because he never really came to terms with the feelings he had for the other boy. Of course, he's not dumb, he noticed them but he just conveniantly forgot about them or pushed them to the back of his head everytime - so he could sleep without snuffing it due to that impossibly warm and tingling feeling sensation everytime he thought of Red, craving his presence.  
He couldn't focus while going through his daily routines such as eating, when even his mother noticed that something about him was off, working out, doing homeworks or showering. And showering was the most unnerving part of it, for obvious reasons.

"Are you Catholic?"

"Not really."

Matt wasn't going to question that, then. He himself stopped beating himself up for being attracted to both guys and girls some time ago, while struggling with his duty to the church. Of course, women were the more asthetic sex but Matt was more fixated on the harsh edges that were Frank right now.

"Well, if you're not attracted to men, then we better not start something, right?" Matt concluded, trying to swallow his disappointment.

"No, no, Red, look- I never really paid attention to other guys, but I have a thing for you. I really do and I don't know what to do about it. Like, I want to make this work and I really fucking care about you. I like being around you." Frank tried again, gesticulating with his hands like crazy and then plunking himself on a block of cement.

That gave Matt hope and he has always been one of the more hopeful sorts. He made his way over to where Frank was sitting and carefully felt for the seating surface.

"Maybe not everything needs a label, don't you think?" he said gently, letting himself down next to Frank.

"Yeah. Yeah, Red." Frank answered shortly, moving over a bit so their shoulders touched.

"Be this as it may, whatever it is between us, Frank, I'm glad I have you." Matt said as a last point, breathing out a sigh of relief because there is an acute possibility of them being together and that was all he had to know for now.

"Me too."  
Frank said eventually, even though his head was full of things he wanted to say, he didn't say any of it out loud. Right now, his heart also felt unbelievably full and his hands empty.  
He reached out his arm and hesitantly slung it around Matt's upper body, who leaned into his touch.  
Frank calmed down again.  
The sky was turning grey, the clouds giving way to the sun, casting a blue-ish light over them, the city was coming to life underneath their feet.  
Things will work out, things will turn out fine.


End file.
